Some of you might be wondering why my blog has been vacant for the past few weeks. I have a lot of things that happened – dropping my Software Engineering course among them. So, let’s get you guys up to speed on why I’m taking a break from school, and my most recent endeavors.
So, the biggest thing that’s happened since I last posted is dropping Software Engineering, which probably shocks a lot of you. I have been pretty head strong about my studies, and I actually had a 99 in that course when I decided to drop it. The problem though is that at the time, I didn’t know if my contract with Khan Academy was going to be renewed or not – in fact I had good reason to believe it wasn’t.
For a while, I was trying to achieve high grades in school, work hard at Khan Academy, be a dad, a husband, and I was trying to build a portfolio and resumes for my job search. It was all just too much for me at once, especially when you add sunlight deprivation from these past wintery months into the mix. Not that I want to make excuses, but I really needed the break!
And to be honest it was much needed. I’m really glad I took it! Two major things have happened since I started my break from school. The first is that I ended up getting an extension on my contract after all!! I can’t even explain how happy I was to hear the news! The timing is perfect.
Now I can focus on work, and building a few projects to showcase my current knowledge and skills. Eventually I’m going to have to reach out for other work opportunities so I’m making the most of my time while I can. I’ve been sticking to my goal of one meet up a month so far, and the latest one has been the best yet.
As a few of you already know, I’ve signed up for a website called freecodecamp.com and I’ve also joined a group of free code campers in my local area – London, Ontario.
Until the last meetup, it’s been me and Sean Cambell, the guy who started the FCC London group on Facebook. Sean’s a great guy who has been working hard as an electrical apprentice and learning web development in his spare time. I truly can’t believe how much this guy has learned in about a year of self teaching! I learn new things every time we meet.
This past weekend, a new face arrived at the table, Jake Klassen. Jake’s been in the industry professionally for a while. He has a ton of experience and knowledge on back end technologies in both corporate and start-up settings. He’s interested in Free Code Camp to get more experience on the front end, while keeping himself sharp on the basics.
The three of us, have decided to start making a chat app together. This is amazing, because it’s exactly what I was hoping to gain out of these meetings. A small group of people who want to make something for fun. I really need the group experience and I’m still lacking a lot of confidence in many areas of my expertise. I hope with the help of Sean, Jake and a little mettle, I can really evolve over the next few weeks as a developer.
The three of us are going to be blogging about this experience too. I don’t know if it’s going to be a collaborative effort, or if we’re just all going to post about our experiences from own perspectives. Either way you can see what the others have posted already here, and here.
Many more posts about FCC to come. And as for UoPeople, don’t worry I’m not giving up. I’m just taking break for a while until I find more consistent work. I’m a self teacher by heart, but I also see the value in a structured, formal education. UoPeople has taught me a lot, and I’m proud of being a student. For now though, my formal studies are on hold.
Cheers,
Dan
